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Fault · Kidde · smoke

Kidde: Chirp between flashes of the red LED

Alarm malfunction. On Kidde smoke alarms a chirp that falls between flashes of the red LED is the malfunction signal, not the low-battery one.

What you see
One red flash
What you hear
One chirp, no fixed interval

If it is sounding a full alarm instead: the maker’s emergency instruction

Smoke alarm

Kidde: never ignore the alarm. First check for fire. If there is one, wake small children and leave at once by your escape plan — do not stop to dress or collect valuables; feel a door before opening it and use another exit if it is hot; stay low in smoke; meet at your meeting place; call the fire department from a neighbour’s house; do not go back in until the fire department says it is safe.

From What to Do When Your Smoke Alarm Sounds.

Carbon monoxide alarm

Kidde: a sounding CO alarm means carbon monoxide, which can be fatal. Press the TEST/RESET button, call 911 or your local fire department, and move at once to fresh air — outside or by an open door or window. Account for everyone, and do not go back in until emergency services have arrived, the home has been aired out and the fire department gives the all clear.

From What Should I Do When My Carbon Monoxide Alarm Sounds?.

What Kidde says to do about this signal

  1. Press and hold the Test button for at least two seconds.
  2. If the alarm does not sound, Kidde says the unit has a defective battery or another failure. Kidde’s product support line is 1-800-880-6788.

From What Causes Consistent Chirping?. If your alarm’s pattern is not exactly this, check the manual for your model: Kidde models do not all use the same signals.

Other Kidde signals

Fault on other brands

The same state sounds and looks different on each make — which is why a chirp pattern cannot be read without the brand.

Sources

Every line on this page comes from Kidde’s own documents, read on the date shown. Nothing is taken from third-party code sites or other makes.